Free Essays on Teen Suicide

According to Dr. Phil Devons a psychiatrist affiliated with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, suicide among young people nationwide has increased dramatically in recent years. Each year in the United States, thousands of teenagers commit suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds. I have worked as a counselor for fourteen years, two years on the high school level, two years on the middle school level, and ten years on the elementary level. In all my years of servicing youth and teenagers, I have come to realize that not only adults, but teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainly, and other fears while growing up. For some teenagers, divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or moving to a new community can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubt. For some teens, suicide may appear to be a solution to their problems and stress. In working with troubled teens, I have learned that depression and suicidal feelings are treatable mental disorders. This treatment is possible if the symptoms are recognized, diagnosed, and the appropriate plans are put in place to begin the treatment. It is necessary that a psychiatric examination be done if a parent is in doubt and she notices drastic mood changes and serious problems. The students I have worked with came from several social backgrounds. Some students had two parent households and financially stable. Some students had one parent households, female or male, some students were being raised by their grandparents, some by uncles or aunts, some by siblings and some by foster parents. In all of these families, no matter what the make up or support system was, there was a failure in the process of the child’s development. Each child I had the privilege to... Free Essays on Teen Suicide Free Essays on Teen Suicide According to Dr. Phil Devons a psychiatrist affiliated with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, suicide among young people nationwide has increased dramatically in recent years. Each year in the United States, thousands of teenagers commit suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds. I have worked as a counselor for fourteen years, two years on the high school level, two years on the middle school level, and ten years on the elementary level. In all my years of servicing youth and teenagers, I have come to realize that not only adults, but teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainly, and other fears while growing up. For some teenagers, divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or moving to a new community can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubt. For some teens, suicide may appear to be a solution to their problems and stress. In working with troubled teens, I have learned that depression and suicidal feelings are treatable mental disorders. This treatment is possible if the symptoms are recognized, diagnosed, and the appropriate plans are put in place to begin the treatment. It is necessary that a psychiatric examination be done if a parent is in doubt and she notices drastic mood changes and serious problems. The students I have worked with came from several social backgrounds. Some students had two parent households and financially stable. Some students had one parent households, female or male, some students were being raised by their grandparents, some by uncles or aunts, some by siblings and some by foster parents. In all of these families, no matter what the make up or support system was, there was a failure in the process of the child’s development. Each child I had the privilege to... Free Essays on Teen Suicide Some people think the only way out is to end their life. They aren’t realizing how badly they will be missed. It can be started by just cutting but that is not enough soon, they just want to end all of the hurt, pain, and anything else in their life. There have been more teens committing suicide than that anybody being killed by AIDS, smoking, drunk drivers, crashes put together. That is pretty bad that teens were brought into this world and they do not even value or care about their lives. Suicidal people, like all of us need love, understanding and care, you can not just say, â€Å"Well if your thinking about suicide or going to do it, then, I am not going to get in the middle of it or even be around you anymore.† Then they are more likely to do it when no one will talk to them or be friends with them. People usually do not ask â€Å"others if they are considering suicide† directly to their faces, but, they may behind their back. Isolating suicidal people increases the isolation they feel and they likelihood that they may attempt suicide. Asking if they are feeling suicidal has the effect of giving them permission to feel the way they do, which reduces their isolation. If they are feeling suicidal, they may see that someone else is beginning to understand how they feel. Do not try to â€Å"rescue† them or take their responsibilities onto yourself, or be a hero and try to handle the situation on your own. You can be the most help by referring them to someone equipped to offer them the help they need, while you continue to support them and remember that what happens is ultimately their responsibility. Get yourself some support too, as you try to get support for them. Do not try to save the world on your own shoulders because then chances are you might start to feel the same way they do and not realize it. If you are wondering, no you are not at risk. Having thought beforehand of several people to approach would hel... Free Essays on Teen Suicide Teenage Suicide Our future depends on our young generations. When the world looses such smart, innocent and pure souls, it is always a tragedy. Suicide is defined as â€Å"the act of intentionally taking one’s own life† (Hayward and Sparkes, 1984). It is almost impossible to explain an action such as suicide, but the research shows that the psychological answer mostly lies in the person’s mind. Teenagers often have difficulties going through the phase of developing and maturity during which they might experience stresses, depression; therefore, mental problems. These factors might lead some teenagers to commit suicide. The most important questions in these cases would be: What kind of influence can the society bring to teenagers’ inner world to make them feel suicidal and what can the society do to prevent it? What are the links from depression to suicide? How can the factors of non seriously taken treatment and/or a mental illness lead to suicide? The biggest influences on a child’s brain are the parents and friends. Teenagers require a lot of attention, care and support. It is always difficult to grow up in the house with divorced parents. According to one study â€Å"90% of suicidal teenagers believed that their families did not understand them†. It is also known that â€Å"women, who were physically or emotionally abused as children were most likely to have mental problems, suffer from depression and to have attempted suicide†. (American Psychiatric Association) Another fact is the relationship with people of the same age whether in or outside of school. Out of all the people, friends can help the most in the situations of suicide. It is necessary to talk to the person and not to be afraid to say the word †suicide†. By being open with a friend it is easier to show care ness, love and support. As for the suicidal teenager it’s important to feel that no matter how terrible the situatio n is, somebody will be always there... Free Essays on Teen Suicide Teen Suicide Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens overall (2). Kids, no matter color, size, or shape may become a victim of suicide. Today in our society, teens are not getting the help that they need before they consider the thought of suicide. To help you realize how important this issue is, think about this, for every two homicides in the U.S. there are three suicides (2). In high school a kid can look or act like nothing is bothering him but nobody can really tell what he or she is thinking. Maybe they’re sick of their lives, or nothing good is ever happening to them and that is when a kid can become a danger to himself or herself. Kids will not think about getting help from a teacher or counselor because they don’t know how to talk about it or their afraid of the outcomes. A kid should not have to commit suicide to show that his or her lives are not going right. In one recent survey of high school students, 60% said they had thought about killing themselves for a numerous reasons, and almost 9% said they have tried at least once (1). Yes, 60% said they only thought about it, but what keeps it only a thought and not reality? So what causes a teen to commit suicide? On major thing that could push them to the edge are family problems. The divorce rate today is roughly around 50% and it is hitting kids harder and harder. Each child will take their parents divorce a different way. Some may just be sad but gone on with their life, others will take it so hard they feel they have no ambition to live anymore. Maybe it isn’t divorce in the family, maybe its lack of love from the parents. A kid can build emptiness in them when their parents don’t make time for them or aren’t involved in their children’s lives. All of that emptiness can grow into a reason for suicide. Another important reason is the pressures of high school. Some kids can receive so much pressure to get good grades, be a ...